The Weapon
by Cena Beana
Summary: "But, Dr. Sesshoumaru, is humanity ready for an ultimate weapon?"


The room was quiet in the dimness of early evening. Dr. Sesshoumaru Takahashi, key scientist of a very important project, sat in his favorite chair, thinking. It was so still that he could hear the turning of pages in the next room as his daughter leafed through a picture book. Often Sesshoumaru did his best work, his most creative thinking, under these circumstances, sitting alone in an unlighted room in his own apartment after the day's regular work. But tonight his mind would not work constructively. Mostly he thought about his mentally arrested daughter- his only child- in the next thoughts were loving thoughts, not the bitter anguish he had felt years ago when he had first learned of the girl's condition. The girl was happy; wasn't that the main thing? And to how many men is given a child, who will not grow up and leave him?

The doorbell rang.

Sesshoumaru rose and turned the lights on in the almost- dark room before he went through the hallway to the door. He was not annoyed; tonight , at this moment, almost any interruption to his thoughts was welcome. He opened the door. A stranger stood there. He said, "Dr. Takahashi? My name is Onigumo. I'd like to talk to you. May I come in a moment?" Sesshoumaru looked at him. He looked harmless- possibly a reporter or an insurance agent. But it didn't matter what he was. Sesshoumaru found himself saying, "Of course. Come in, Onigumo." A few minutes of conversation, he justified himself thinking, might divert hid thoughts and clear his mind. "Sit down," he said, in the living room. "Care for a cup of coffee?" Onigumo said, "No, thank you." He sat in the chair; Sesshoumaru sat on the sofa. The man leaned forward. He said, "Dr. Takahashi, you are the man whose scientific work is more likely than that of any other man to end the human race's chance for survival."

"But, Dr. Sesshoumaru,is humanity ready for an ultimate weapon?"

Too late now Sesshoumaru realized that he should have asked the man's business before admitting him. It would be an embarrassing interview- he decided that only rudeness would be effective. Dr. Sesshoumaru, †he weapon on which you are working-" The visitor stopped and turned his head as the door that led to a bedroom opened and a girl of fifteen laughed the sweet laughter of a child of four. The girl didn't notice Onigumo; she ran to Sesshoumaru. "Rin, I am busy. Go back to your room; I'll come and read to you soon." "'Chicken Little'? You'll read me Chicken Little'?" "If you wish. Rin, this is Onigumo."

The girl smiled bashfully at the visitor. Onigumo said, "Hi, Rin," and smiled back at her, holding out his hand. "Go back to your room now, Rin." The girl skipped back to her room, not closing the door. Onigumo's eyes met Sesshoumaru's and he said, "I like her," with obvious sincerity. He added " I hope that what you're going to read to her will always be true." Sesshoumaru didn't understand. Onigumo said, "' Chicken Little I mean. It's a fine story- but may 'Chicken Little' always be wrong about the sky falling down." Sesshoumaru remembered that he must end the interview quickly. He rose in dismissal. He said, "I fear you're wasting your time and mine, Onigumo. I know all the arguments; everything you can say I've heard a thousand times. Posibbly there is truth in what you believe, but it does not concern me. I'm a scientist, and only a scientist. Yes, it is public knowledge that I am working on a weapon or rather an ultimate one.I have thought it through, and I have found that that is my only my concern." Onigumo rose slowly from the chair. He said, Very well, if you do not choose to discuss it, I'll say no more." He passed a hand across his forehead. "' I'll leave, Dr. Sesshoumaru. I wonder, though … may I change my mind about the coffee you offered me?'" His irritation faded. He said, "Certainly. Cream and sugar?"

"Please"

Sesshoumaru went into the kitchen. He got the coffee, cream, and sugar. When he returned to the living room, Onigumo was just leaving the child's bedroom. He heard Onigumo's, "Good night Rin," and Rin's happy, "Night Onigumo." Sesshoumaru poured the coffee. Later, Onigumo declined a second cup and started to leave. Onigumo said, "I took the liberty of bringing a small gift to your daughter, Doctor. I gave it to her while while you were getting the coffeeee for us. I hope you can forgive me." "Of course. Thank you. Good night." Sesshoumaru closed the door; he walked through the living room into Rin's room. He said, "All right, Rin. Now I'll read to-" There was sudden sweat on his forehead, but he forced his face and his voice to be calm as he stepped to the side of the bed. "May I see that, Rin?" When he had it safely, his hands shook as he examined it. He thought,

Only a madman would give a loaded revolver to a retarded child…..


End file.
